Adjustable drafting template



March l, 1955 C, C, LANE ET AL. 2,702,944

ADJUSTABLE DRAFTING TEMPLATE Filed D60. 30, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l .WWU u INVENTORS CHARLES GLA/VE W/L lA/1 C. NAf/OND Brz ANDRA/EVS March 1, 1955 c. c. LANE ET AL I 2,702,944

ADJUSTABLE DRAETING TEMPLATE Filed Dec. 30, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS BY v United States Patent y(i) ADJUSTABLE DRAFTING TEMPLATE Charles C. Lane, Fort Belvoir, Va., and William C. Mahoney, Columbus, Ohio Application December 30, 1953, Serial No. 401,442

l Claims. (Cl. 33--1) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without payment to us of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates to improvements in adjustable drafting templates developed to aid in the drafting and scribing of certain cartographie symbols or designs. v

Templates constructed in accordance with the present invention are characterized by simplicity of construction and by ready independent adjustability in a plurality of directions for adjustably varying as to size and contour a given symbol or design which is to be traced on a drawing surface, the construction of the improved templates including relatively shiftable template elements which are adjustable both longitudinally and laterally with respect to each other, and single releasable locking instrumentalities for securing the parts of the template in desired adjustment during the drafting procedure.

The foregoing statement constitutes the principal object of the present invention, a further object being, in general, the provision of simplified adjusting means for enabling the desired adjustments of the elements of the templates to be easily andquickly performed.

Further objects and advantages of the present improvements will .become apparent as the description proceeds and the features of novelty will be pointed out in particularity in the appended claims.

In general, the improved template of the present invention comprises a pair of plate elements having congruent cartographie or geometric symbols or designs formed therein, the plate elements being superposed one on another, one of the plate elements being an upper element, the other of the plate elements being a lower element, these upper and lower elements being slidably adjustable relative to each other, the amount and direction of the slidable adjustment being dependent upon the provision of a novel slide assembly which will be described in detail hereinafter, and which includes a single friction lock and actuating means therefor for securing the plate elements in desired adjusted position.

' This improved template construction of the present invention will be understood more readily from a consideration of the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved template construction with the parts in registry throughout;

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. l, but showing the plate elements in relative longitudinal adjustment;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation with the plate elements in the position shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the improved template with the adjustable elements relatively off-set in longitudinal and lateral direction; i

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal axial section of the template, the view being taken on the line V-V of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line `VIVI of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 7 is `a further sectional view taken on the line VII--VII ofFig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the improved template, looking at the top thereof, the view showing elements of the slide assembly separated.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the improved template assembly of the present invention com- .prisesa pairofsuperposedplates l10 and 12, which are slidably adjustable b'oth longitudinally and transversely lso ICC

relatively to each other through means which will be described hereinafter. The plates 10 and 12 are of equal width, and are tapered equally at their forward ends forming oblique sides 14 defining angles 16 of 45 de grees with the parallel side portions 18, the oblique sides 14 intersecting to form forward end angle 20 of 90 degrees, which is coincident with the longitudinal axis of the superposed plates. One of the plates, that is, the plate 12, which is employed as the bottom plate of the template assembly when in use, is substantially longer than the plate 10, thereby forming a projecting lip 22 for a series of tapered circles 24 of regularly increasing diameters from the smallest to the largest in the series.

The plates 10 and 12 are fabricated with congruent squares 26 and triangles 28 formed therein, or with any other cartographie or geometric figures or symbols as desired, the squares 26 being located with opposite corners on the longitudinal axis of the plates 10 and 12 with adjacent sides of one of the corners parallel with the oblique sides 14 of the plates, the congruent triangles 28 being illustrated as equilateral triangles with one corner or angle substantially perpendicualr to an adjacent oblique side 14 of the plates, so that the triangles 28 have an altitude parallel to the bisector of angle 20.

The details of the congruent squares and triangles as noted above are illustrative only, and these elements may be omitted altogether and/or replaced or supplemented by other geometrical figures as may be desired. However, with reference to the squares and triangles as illustrated on the drawings, normally the square and triangle of the top plate will be supcrposed on the square and triangle of the bottom plate and in exact registry therewith. Now, if the top and bottom plates 10 and 12 are allowed to slide longitudinally or laterally relatively to each other, through the provision of means which will be described in detail hereinafter, allowing no rotation of one plate with respect to the other, the sides of the outline of an opening defined by the sides of the squares will vary from zero to the maximum side dimension of the square, and the triangular opening formed by the sides of the triangles always will be similar to the triangles and will vary from zero to the maximum size of the triangle.

The plates 10 and 12 may be composed of any suitable material; a transparent synthetic plastic material of the general character of polyalkylmethacrylate resins beingl suitable and convenient as being suiiiciently rigid for the intended purpose, while at the same time being soft enough to render the plates easily fabricated, cut, or otherwise manipulated. The plates 10 and 12 are secured together in continuous interfacial engagement while being relatively adjustable longitudinally and trans.- versely by the provision of adjusting means which now will be described.

In order to effect relative longitudinal and transverse adjustment between the plates, a T-shaped slot is cut in both plates, the slot 30 T-shaped in cross-section in the bottom plate 12 being cut and centered on a line passing through the center of the cut-out square 26 and parallel to the parallel side portions 18 of the plate. Similarly, a slot 32 T-shaped in cross-section is cut in the top plate 10 and centered along a line perpendicular to the top plate longitudinal center line, so that when the two plates 10 and 12 are placed correctly relatively to each other, both slots 30 and 32 are at right angles to each other with the widest portion thereof facing to the -outside. These slots will be referred to hereinafter as the top plate slide slot 32 and the bottom plate slide slot 30, respectively. A top slide 34 and bottom slide 36 are fabricated so that the cross section of each is T- shaped for reception into the slots 32 and 30, respectively, the said top slide 34 and bottom slide 36 forming together a right angled cruciform slide assembly; adjacent to an end of the top slide 34 there is drilled a hole 37 to receive and to fit slide locking` screw- 38,

'which screw also fits into a slot 50 in the bottom plate fthe outlines, of -af square for receiving slide -lsecuring screws 42, the heads of which are counter-sunk in bottom slide 36, as shown on Figs. 5 and 6. When both slides are assembled in the form of a cross, all holes in the top and bottom slides are in registry for the insertion of the respective screws. The locking slide screw 38 has a ilanged end 44 having oppositely iiattened sides 45, and the threaded shank of the slide screw, which projects through the top slide 34 receives a lock nut 46 which engages the top slide 34 and which obviously is threaded interiorly complementarily to threads 48 on the shank of the slide screw 38. This lock nut 46 is knurled peripherally and is adapted to lock frictionally against the top surface of the top slide 34.

The iianged end 44 of the locking slide screw 38 is received in a narrow slot 50 Tshaped in cross-section in the bottom plate 12, the oppositely flattened portions 45 of the head engaging the sides of this slot. This slot 50 parallels the bottom plate slide slot 30, with the distance between the center lines of slots 50 and 30 less than half the length of the top plate slide 34, and the Si) constitutes a friction lock slot and it is engaged latt erally by the opposite lattened sides 45 of the ilanged end 44 of the locking slide screw 38 for preventing this screw turning in the slot 50, responsively to tightening the lock nut 46. lt is obvious also that the hole 37 which is provided in the top slide 34 for receiving the ltlbckisng slide screw 38, coincides with the friction lock s ot Both the top slide 34 and the bottom slide 36 are shorter than their respective slots 32 and 30, so that when the lock nut 46 is loosened, the top plate 10 and bottom plate 12 are free to move longitudinally and laterally with respect to each other, thereby varying, as desired, the size of the template openings 26 and 28. The lateral engagement of the slides 34 and 36 with sides of their respective slots prevents any relative turning movements between the plates during relative adjustment thereof, and makes the longitudinal and lateral movements between the plates truly rectilinear movements. When the lock nut 46 is tightened, because of the anged end 44 of the lock screw 38 and taper 52 on the underside of the top slide 34, the top plate 10 and the bottom plate 12 are drawn together under pressure and prevented from moving relatively to each other because of the locking friction developed between the plates.

The graduated series of holes 24 permits the application of the template to the drawing of circles of variable sizes. f

For operating the improved template, the top and bottom plates 10 and 12 are adjusted relatively and interlocked by the lock nut 46 to produce the desired area and configuration of template openings 26 and 28, and then using a pencil, pen, or scribing tool to trace the outline of the resulting desired template opening onto a suitable medium. To draw a circle of selected size,

the circular opening 24 of the requisite size is selected A and the outline thereof is traced.

It may be said that the improved template of the present invention provides certain definite advantages. Thus, lit may be used to draft or to scribe mechanically any size of rectangle, triangle, or circle, which is likely to 'be used in cartographie drafting or scribing; it is small, compact, light in weight, and simple to use; it may be used as a measuring device, once a desired setting is obtained, for example, one side of the template square 26 may be used to step off distances; and when the template is made of transparent plastic material, no detail is obscured which may assist in the placement of a symbol.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that rectilinear longitudinal and lateral adjustability exists only between the plates 18 and 12, dependent upon the amount of space between the top and bottom slides 34 and 36 and the ends of their respective slots. the top and bot- -tom slides being rigidly and immovably secured together "so long as the screws 42 are tight, and the plates are e secured tightly together when the lock nut 46 is tightened against the top slide. In order to increase the locking pressure of the lock nut against the top and bottom slides 34 and 36 and to secure the plates 10 and 12 together with increased tightness, the top slide 34 is tapered slightly on its underside, as in indicated at 52 (see particularly Figs. 6 and 8), this taper extending from the edge of the bottom slide 36 to the end of the top slide 34 which overlaps the friction lock slot 50 after assembly.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the provision of the lock slot 50 enables the bottom plate 12 to be adjusted as a whole relative to the top plate 10 in a longitudinal direction when the lock nut 46 is loosened, the amount of movement of the bottom plate relative to the top plate being limited by the length of this slot 50, together also, as will be apparent, with the length of the slot 30 in excess of the length of the bottom slide 36 which is received in this bottom slide slot 30; and the top plate 10 is movable as a whole relative to the bottom plate 12 in the perpendicular lateral direction in an amount corresponding to the length of the top slide slot 32 in excess of the length of the top slide 34. It will be understood that with the plates 10 and 12 superposed in congruent relation, the slides 34 and 36 and the respective slide slots 32 and 30 therefor are at right angles and define a perpendicular cruciform slide assembly which may be releasably interlocked for permitting the plate 12 to be longitudinally adjusted relative to the plate 10 responsively to release of the interlock between the plates, and permitting the plate 10 to be adjusted laterally relative to the plate 12, the movements between the plates being accurately rectilinear for accurately varying or adjusting, as desired, the configuration and/or area between the corresponding congruent geometric figures provided in the plates 10 and 12. The top and bottom slides 34 and 36 are interconnected rigidly and immovably by the connecting screws 42, as aforesaid. Also, engagement of the lateral flanges of the slides 34 and 36, with the complemental anges of the respective slots, clamps the slides in position in these slots under pressure of screws 42 and maintains the plates 10 and 12 in interfacial engagement at all times, enabling only the perpendicularly directed longitudinal and transverse sliding adjustments between the plates, as aforesaid, but without physical separation of the plates. Obviously, the screws 42 might be replaced by correspending pins, if so desired, and the slides 34 and 36 secured together by means of a screw passing through the slides and positioned equidistantly between such pins. Such modification of the illustrated construction is considered to be so obvious and so immaterial as to patentability that a showing thereof on the drawings is not necessary.

lt will be seen also from the drawings that the aforesaid perpendicular cruciform slide assembly, which is composed of the slides 34 and 36 and the slide slots 32 and 30 therefor, together with the screw 38 in slot 50, constitutes a single unit which is carried in the bottom slot 30 when the plate 10 is moved longitudinally relative to the plate 12, that is, when the plate 10 is moved longitudinally with respect to the plate 12, the lower slide member 36 is moved along in its slot 30 and pin 38 is moved along in slot 50 in conformity with the movement of the plate 10 longitudinally over plate 12, and the plate 10 carries with it also the slide 34, such longitudinal movement of the plate 10 being limited either by engagement of the slide 36 with the corresponding end of its slot 30 or by engagement of the screw 38 with the corresponding end of its slot 50. That is, whenever the plate 10 is adjusted longitudinally relative to the plate 12, it carries with it as a single unit the entire slide assembly, whereas when the plate 10 is adjusted transversely relative to the plate 12, only the plate 10 moves, the slide assembly unit remaining stationary, the amount of lateral movement of the plate 10 being determined and limited by the amount of eX- cessive length of the top slide slot 32 over the length of the top slide 34. That is to say, adjustment of the plate 10 transversely with respect to plate 12 is effected without any movement of the unitary slide assembly itself, whereas, whenever the plate 10 is adjusted longitudinally with respect to plate 12, the plate 10 carries with it in its longitudinally adjusting movement both of the slides 34 and 36 and also the screw 38 as a unitary slide assembly, the amount of such longitudinal movement being limited by abutment of slide 36 or screw 33 Vagainst the corresponding end .of the respective slots 30 and 50. It will be understood that at no time is there any relative movement between the slides 34 and 36, or between the screw 38 and the said slides.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the improved construction comprises a template or stencil designed for cartographie drafting and including a pair of separate, superposed plates provided with congruent symbols of geometric or other shapes having means continuously securing the plates together in interfacial engagement, the said securing means enabling relative longitudinal and lateral sliding adustment between the plates for selectively varying the size and contour of the aforesaid symbols or characters provided in the plates. It will be apparent also that the specifically illustrated and described structural details may be varied in specific character as may be desired without departing from the inventive concept, such variations being readily apparent to one skilled in the art; and consequently, it Will be understood that it is intended and desired to embrace within the scope of the invention such modifications and changes as may be desired to adapt the construction to varying conditions and uses, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A template construction comprising a pair of elongated plates provided with congruent openings therethrough, a slide slot T-shaped in cross-section in each plate, a slide element T-shaped in cross-section in each slot with lateral flanges of the slide elements engaging complemental lateral flanges in the slide slots, the said slots and slide elements being disposed perpendicular to each other when the plates are assembled in superposed interfacially engaging relation, the said slide slots and slide elements therein defining a substantially perpendicular cruciform slide assembly when the plates are assembled in the said superposed relation, each slide slot being substantially longer than its slide element received therein, means extending through the slots and slide ele ments rigidly and immovably interconnecting the said elements together, one of the plates being provided with an additional slot parallel to the slide slot in that plate, the said plates being thereby relatively adjustable longitudinally and laterally in rectilinear movements for selectively varying areas and relative configurations between the congruent openings in the plates, and releasable locking means mounted in the said additional slot and projecting through the interfacially engaging plate for locking the plates together in selected adjusted position.

2. The template construction defined in claim 1, wherein the additional slot is spaced from the slide slot in said one plate at a distance such that the center lines of the slots are separated by a space less than half the length of the slide element in the slide slot of the superposed plate.

3. The template construction defined in claim 2, wherein the superposed plates have corresponding parallel side portions with corresponding side portions of the plates uniformly tapering to an apex coincident with the longitudinal axis of the plates, the slide slot and slide element in one of the plates having longitudinal axes coincident with the longitudinal axis of that plate, the slide slot and slide element of the superposed plate being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of that plate, so that when the plates are assembled congruently in interfacial engagement, the said slide slots and slide elements therein define a perpendicularly disposed cruciform slide assembly enabling longitudinal and transverse rectilinear adjustment between the plates.

4. The template construction defined in claim 3, Wherein one or" the congruent openings in each plate is a square, a corner of which is coincident with the longitudinal axis of the plate with adjacent sides of the corner parallel with the tapering side portions of the plate, and another of the congruent openings being a triangle, the longitudinal and transverse rectilinear adjustment between the plates eifecting corresponding adjustment in area and contour between the said openings, the slide slots and slide elements being T-shaped in cross-section and disposed perpendicularly with respect to each other with the slots having their widest portion facing outwardly.

5. A template construction comprising a pair of elongated superposed plates provided with congruent template openings therethrough, one of the plates being an upper plate and the other of the plates being a lower plate when the template is in service, and slide means in the plates interconnecting the plates in interfacial engagement while enabling relative longitudinal and lateral rectilinear sliding adjustments between the plates for selectively varying the relative size and contour of the template openings, the slide means being a perpendicular cruciform slide assembly composed of perpendicularly disposed slide slots in the plates, there being an upper slide slot in the upper plate and a lower slide slot in the lower plate perpendicular to the upper slide slot and extending longitudinally of the plates while the upper slide slot extends transversely of the plates, slide members in both of the slide slots, the slots being substantially longer than the slide members therein for allowing longitudinal and lateral adjusting movements between the upper and lower plates of selected amplitudes, and means rigidly interconnecting the slide members in perpendicular relation, the said slide members being slidable together as a rigid unit in the lower slide slot conjointly with longitudinal movement of the upper plate with respect to the lower plate, the slide members being rigidly immovable during transverse movements of the upper plate with respect to the lower plate, the said transverse movements of the upper plate being performed by movement of the upper plate and its slide slot relative to the slide member in the said slot, an additional slot in the lower plate parallel to the lower slide slot, and releasable locking means in the additional slot and extending through the slide member in the upper slide slot, thereby enabling the aforesaid longitudinal movement of the upper plate and slide members with respect to the lower plate.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 317,788 Hoover May 12, 1885 1,662,066 Krumm Mar. 13, 1928 2,087,102 Chandler July 13, 1937 2,626,467 Abbott Jan. 27, 1953 2,646,626 Palin July 28, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 148,547 Austria Jan. 25, 1937 

